The Road to Truth
by Forever the Optimist
Summary: Endless Ocean 2 left us with many questions regarding Oceana's parents, especially her father and his mysterious demise. If you too have been wondering, look no further. In this collaboration between myself and the lovely Ward Orphan, all questions shall be answered, all doubts assuaged, and you'll laugh and cry along with us as we explore the depths of the past. *US names, etc*
1. Prologue

"Dad, look out!"

Matthias' voice crackled through the radio. Jean-Eric twisted away, kicking furiously as the massive sperm whale shot through the dark waters.

They had been searching the walls of the Zahhab Region's continental shelf for invasive lionfish, on the request of some conservation group. Matthias usually left this sort of thing to his wife, Alana, but she was busy packing for a whale migration study. So Matthias and Jean-Eric had gone, and it had been as dull as Matthias had expected.

Until, that is, they heard a very strange sound: a ghostly, echoing tune reverberating across the ocean floor. These five notes had somehow caused sperm whale they were following to attack. The huge mammal seemed quite fascinated by their movements. Now it was chasing them, a rather one-sided pursuit, as it was much faster.

"I've never known a sperm whale to be this aggressive, even a male," Jean-Eric panted in his radio.

"Not now, Dad," Matthias replied. "Quick, over here!" He pulled his father under a ledge as the sperm whale charged again. They weren't going to be able to dodge it for much longer.

The ledge opened into a small cavern in the cliff. The area was large enough to accommodate both divers, but too small for the whale. The area was long and low, a rectangle cut deep into the rock. They could still see the angry whale swimming around outside.

"We should be safe in here. I'm sure we'll be fine soon," Matthias said, catching his breath. "It's only an animal, after all."

Just as he finished, the strange song echoed through the cavern again. The sperm whale reacted savagely, thrashing its body and repeatedly ramming its back into the cliff face. The cave walls trembled and shook, stirring up sand and debris. Jean-Eric swam close and grabbed Matthias's arm.

"There's got to be another way out," he muttered, looking all around the small cave. "There. In the back." There was a small pile of rocks reaching up to the low ceiling. It appeared completely ordinary, but Jean-Eric's careful eye had noticed the path of the wall: curving in, as if it were the beginnings of a tunnel. "If we dig it out-"

The strange noise stopped as suddenly as it had started, cutting him off mid word, and so did the crashes from the whale. By the time the dirt settled, the sperm whale was gone. Cautiously, Matthias swam toward the opening and looked out. He could just make out the outline of the whale, swimming off into the distance. Satisfied the danger had passed, he returned to the cave.

"What were you talking about, Dad?" Matthias asked.

"There's something strange about this cave. You see the back wall there, with the rocks?" Matthias nodded. "And how it curves in? Almost like-"

"A tunnel," Matthias breathed. He swam over to the area, shifting a few rocks to get a better look. "Here," he said, grabbing a large rock. "Help me shift this."

Together they tugged the rock aside, and Matthias bent in to get a better look.

"I think you're right," he said, running a hand along the wall. "It does look like…" His voice trailed off as he spotted a glint of blue. "What's this?" He pulled out a hollow stone cylinder, covered in strange holes. It was a beautiful deep blue, a color that reminded Matthias instantly of the ocean at night. "Lapis lazuli, do you think?"

"Whatever it is, there's more," said Jean-Eric, reaching down to pull out a cone and disk of roughly the same size and material. The cone was as covered in holes as the cylinder, but the disk seemed to only have one hole, in the center.

"Be careful," Matthias cautioned, turning the cylinder over in his gloved hands. "It's obviously been worked with. Don't want to damage it."

"If it survived being buried in a rockfall like this, I doubt I can do anything to it," the older man replied, taking it from Matthias and storing both pieces in his diving bag.

"Let's take these back to the island," Matthias said. "Let Nancy have a look at them."

"Nancy?" Jean-Eric looked doubtful. "That young trader? Fresh out of college? What does she know?"

Matthias grinned. "You might be surprised, Dad. Nancy's been helping us out a lot recently, appraising things and whatnot. She's always been spot-on so far. I bet in a few years you'll be calling her for every little thing."

Jean-Eric hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Very well, if you trust her, I trust her. Either way, let's get these things back to the top."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello! Forever the Optimist here, with my lovely coauthor and sister Ward Orphan (go look her up if you like the Ranger's Apprentice books). We've got a brand new story for you, even though I expect only three people will ever read this, but congratulations to you fortunate few! If you've ever played the Endless Ocean games, then good for you and read on, for many unsolved mysteries will be answered. If not, I don't know what you're doing reading fanfiction for a game you haven't played, but good for you! And if you're a fan of mine, then bless you and review so I know who to appreciate properly :) Can't promise when we'll be updating this, as it depends on how much time we get together, so stick around! Just keep swimming!**

 **-Forever the Optimist and Ward Orphan**


	2. Two Special Gifts

"Lapis lazuli," Nancy said, turning the disk piece over in her hands. "Looks quite old. Jewelry, maybe? Many cultures valued the bright blue color for decoration and things. The carvings on them don't mean anything to me, but if you'll give me some time, I'll see if I can find you an answer, but I can't promise much," she warned. "Can I take it with me? Pictures won't do a whole lot."

"You can take whatever you need," Matthias told her before Jean-Eric could object. "How long do you think it will take?"

"I don't know," she replied. "It depends on what I find or don't find. Probably at least a month. I'll let you know the moment I get a lead."

"Thank you," Matthias said politely. "And how much do we owe you?"

"Not a thing," Nancy said with a grin, heading for her jetski. "On good faith."

"Nancy, before you go, do you have that sea whistle I asked for?" Alana had come out of the cabin just before Nancy got to her jetski, balancing a young Oceana on her hip.

"Yes, of course. It's, uh..." Nancy lifted a whistle over her head and handed it to Alana. "I, uh, put it around my neck so I'd remember to bring it."

Alana smiled and handed the whistle to Oceana, who squealed with delight and grabbed it immediately. "Thank you, Nancy," she said. "It looks as good as new." There was only a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Well, I'll be going now." Nancy replied, hurriedly riding away on her jetski.

"Bye Nancy!" Matthias called. Alana elbowed him in the ribs.

"So What's the answer to your newest find?" she asked.

"I'll be back in just a moment," he told his wife. "Got to do something quick."

"Something? What sort of something? And you didn't answer my question."

"A surprise." He kissed her quickly on the cheek and started towards the cabin.

"I'm leaving, you know! The rest of my team will be here any minute for our whale migration research trip" she called after him. He raised a hand and went in. Alana sighed. "Alright." She pinched Oceana's cheeks and set her down on the sand. "You know, sometimes I wonder about him."

The little girl giggled and reached for Jean-Eric's shoelaces, but he stepped out of her reach, crossing his arms.

"You're not the only one, Alana," he told her. "The ideas he gets…" The older man shook his head. "Won't do him any good."

Matthias rushed back out of the cabin, clutching the remaining pieces. "Here," he said, holding them out to his wife. He had strung chains through piece to create pendants. The more cylindrical one he dropped on the sand next to his daughter, who seized it with glee. The conical pendant he draped around Alana's neck. "Even if they aren't worth much, I've always loved the color of lapis lazuli."

Oceana giggled as she ran sand through the cylinder. "It almost matches her eyes," Matthias remarked. Alana smiled.

"The color of the ocean." They stood together, looking at their delighted child playing at their feet. "Looks like the rest of the team is almost here," Alana said, pointing to a boat that had appeared on the horizon. "I had better make sure everything's ready." She headed for the cabin, then turned back with a smile. "Don't let Oceana try to eat her pendant."

Matthias laughed and looked down at the little girl at his feet. She gotten sand stuck in all of the cracks and was now running the chain through her mouth. "I won't," he called after Alana's retreating back. "And not too much sand, either."

He picked her up and carried her to the edge of the water, setting her down so it came up to her waist. As she ran the pendant through the water, a strange sound echoed around them.

Matthias looked down at the pendant curiously. He thought he recognized that particular melody from somewhere, but when it wouldn't come, he shrugged it off.

Until, that is, a pod of humpback whales began to breach off in the atolls.

"Look, Oceana!" Matthias picked his daughter up and showed her the whales. The whole atoll seemed to be filled with them- he guessed there were at least ten in the small area. The waves they were creating rolled up against the dock and onto the sand. Yells could be heard from the boat coming in as it was tossed about on the waves.

Oceana burst into tears, wailing and screaming. Her cries almost drowned out the crashes of the whales and waves.

Alana stepped out of the cabin into the commotion, carrying a suitcase. She looked about at her screaming child, the breaching whales, the boat dancing in the waves, and the innocent look on her husband's face, and set the bag down with a sigh.

"I leave you alone for two minutes," she muttered, striding forward and scooping Oceana out of the sand. "Hush now," she murmured, soothing the child. "The whales can't hurt you. What on Earth is going on?" she hissed at Matthias.

"Nothing!" he protested. "One moment we were playing in the sand and the next the whales started going crazy and your boat-mates started yelling and then she was screaming; it wasn't anything I did!"

"Of course not." By now, Oceana was perfectly calm, happily chewing on her pendant. "You can't eat that, sweetie," Alana explained patiently as she pulled the blue stone out of Oceana's mouth.

The cruiser pulled smoothly into the little wooden dock. "Hey Alana!" a woman called, jumping onto the dock and securing the boat, "you ready? We have to follow those whales before they get away! Sara's swimming first, so you don't have to change yet."

"Only just a moment, Hailie," she replied. "Just us girls this time," she told Matthias. "We've been looking forward to it for months. Not you, though, sweetheart," she added, tousling Oceana's hair. "Maybe when you're older you and I can take a trip."

Matthias picked up Alana's bags and carried them onto the boat, then relieved his wife of Oceana and kissed her goodbye. "See you in three weeks!"

Alana climbed onto the cruiser and she and her team waved as it pulled out to sea.

* * *

 **A.N.: Hello! Sorry it takes us so long to write, but Forever the Optimist and I don't have much free time together. Be assured this story is not forgotten or abandoned! Hope you liked this chapter -Ward Orphan**


	3. With the Whales

_Beeeep beeeep beeeep._

Alana silenced her alarm clock and pulled herself off of her cot with a yawn. She quickly changed into her favorite green wetsuit, putting Matthias' pendant around her neck as she had every day since her departure. She smiled as she ran her fingers over it, thinking of her husband and daughter that she would see once again next week. Although the trip had been both exciting and interesting, she couldn't wait to be home.

Alana ran up the stairs and greeted Hailie, who was working on deck. "I'm up next, right?" she asked.

"Yep," replied Hailie, "you've got swimming next. You know the drill. Just stay with the pod and tell us if anything changes. Make sure to take plenty of pictures too!"

"I know, I know. This isn't my first time diving," Alana teased, "Got anything special for me to do?"

"Not really. Just have fun playing with the whales one last time."

Alana smiled. Of the crew, she was by far the most attached to their whale pod. She grabbed her equipment from the corner and put it on. She checked her radio and lowered herself into the water.

They had been following the same group of humpback whales for two weeks, and it was almost time to leave them and return home. Most of the time Alana spent in the water was swimming along with them, as the whales moved much slower during migrations, but when she needed a rest she would simply hitch a ride on top of one.

Now she swam along next to a little calf that was swimming below his mother. She patted it on the head, snapping a quick photo of the markings around its eyes. With a smile, Alana pulled out her sea whistle, which was hanging around her neck, and sounded it softly. The calf squeaked in delight, as if answering her. Alana laughed and swam up towards one of the larger whales in the pod.

"Hello there, old girl," she said, swimming alongside one of the whale's massive eyes. "Mind if I tag along?" The whale blinked lazily, although whether in response or circumstance, Alana couldn't tell. She held back a little until she could grasp the whale's fin, making sure not to obstruct its powerful movements. She flipped onto her back, letting herself be tugged along.

"One more day," she sighed, only half to the whale. "And then I go home. Oceana will be so pleased. Suppose she's learned to walk?"

"How's it going, Alana?" Hailie's voice crackled over her radio.

"Fine as ever," Alana answered with a smile. "What'd you expect?"

"Just doing my job," Hailie replied. "Got to check in, you know the drill. Keep in touch."

"I can't hardly avoid it, can I?" she teased.

Smiling, slightly, Alana looked down and realized that she had been stroking the pendant's chain. Now she took it off to examine it closer. As she floated through the water, it flowed through easily. Surprisingly, The hunk of stone seemed to give no resistance to the water's currents. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked, holding it up for the whale's inspection. "Hard to believe it wasn't worth anything."

She hooked a finger through the chain, letting it dance along behind her until it was completely horizontal. "Almost like another little fish," she laughed, making a mental note to try the same trick with Oceana as soon as she got home.

The whale she was grasping lunged forward suddenly, jolting her a little and knocking the pendant chain off her finger. "No, wait!" she gasped, letting go of the whale's fin and diving down after it. An eerie melody echoed in the ocean around her, an odd combination of major and minor, almost like the sound of a sea whistle, but strangely twisted. Putting on a burst of speed, Alana snagged the edge of the pendant, pulling it close.

A burst of static came over her radio, and then she heard Hailie's voice. "Everything alright, down there, Alana?"

"Yeah," she answered, "yeah, I'm fine. Just dropped my pendant, is all. Although I did hear sort of a strange noise, did you get that?"

"Let me play the recordings back, see what I can find," Hailie answered, going to her radio controls. She twiddled a few dials, trying for a replay. "Nothing," she said into the radio. "Must not have been loud enough for us to pick up."

"Alright, just thought I'd try."

"How're the whales?" Hailie asked, settling down on a deck chair and looking out over the ocean. "Any changes?"

"Well…" There was a pause. "Yes, actually. They're sort of agitated, almost. Sort of… well… milling about, I guess. I almost think-" There was a burst of static. "-to do?"

"I'm losing you," Hailie said, turning knobs on the controls. "Hold on just a sec, I'm trying to get you back. Alana, can you hear me?"

She was answered only by static. "Hailie!" a voice called from across the deck. "You'd better come see this."

Hailie hurried over, abandoning the radio for the moment. Sara stood at the railing of the boat, shading her eyes with her hand. "It's the whales," she said, pointing out to sea. "They're going berserk! I've never known whales to be this active, especially not with so many calves in the pod. We have to find out what they're doing!"

"Are you crazy?" Hailie cried. "Forget the whales, Alana's down there! We have to get her out!" Hailie ran back to the radio and started turning the knobs frantically, trying to get a reading. "Alana! Come in, Alana! Are you alright? Answer me! ALANA!"

"Hailie, stop," Sara said, pulling her away. "She can't answer you."

"And how would you know that?" Hailie screamed, fighting Sara's hold. "We've got to keep trying, we-"

"Hailie." The gentleness in her friend's voice was enough to make her go still. Sara pulled her over to the other side of the boat. "Just look."

Hailie looked. The sea was calmer now, the whales back to normal. And in the middle of the pod floated a patch of bright green.

* * *

 **A.N: Hi guys! Apologies for that ending. My sister was inclined to think it too traumatic, I thought it could have been way worse, but that's what we got. Cheers. Sorry we're so dreadfully slow in posting, but seeing as basically nobody reads this I suppose it doesn't really matter all that much. But props to you that do! Our faithful few, we appreciate every view we get. If you are interested in reading the aftermath of the above, do shoot us a review - we'll probably be much more inclined to work on it that way. It's in your hands, my dears.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	4. Mommy Comes Home

"Mommy, Mommy!" Oceana bounced up and down on the sand staring out to sea.

"That's right, Oceana," Matthias said, "Mommy's coming home today!" _She's supposed to, anyway,_ he thought, glancing up at the boatless horizon.

"Matthias!" Jean Eric called. "Call for you." Matthias lifted his daughter up, then carried her up the beach to the table. Jean Eric stood by the radio, twiddling the knobs, trying for a better signal. "It's Hailie."

Matthias chuckled. "What, did they decide to stay out another week?" Jean Eric only shrugged. "Here, take Oceana," he said, handing her off to the somewhat reluctant older man. "She likes to play in the shallow water," Matthias prompted.

"Alright." Jean Eric held the child awkwardly and set off towards the beach. Matthias reached for the radio and connected the call.

"Hi Hailie," he said cheerfully. "Ready to be home?"

"Um, yes," Hailie answered, uncomfortable. "Er, Matthias-"

"Is Alana there?" he asked. "Oceana's been looking forward to seeing her all day."

"Well, she is, yes," the young woman told him. "In a way."

Matthias was about to ask another question, but something in her tone stopped him. "Hailie?" he asked cautiously. "What happened? What's wrong?"

There was a pause, then Hailie burst into tears, her sobs crackling through the static. "Hailie," he said, more insistently this time, " _what happened?"_

"It's Alana," the distraught woman cried. "We were - she was with the whales, and she was talking about how excited to see you she was, and then the w-whales just went crazy, and we lost radio contact, and-" She stopped drawing in a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry, Matthias," she said at last. "She didn't make it."

Matthias was stunned. He felt, suddenly, like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs, leaving him gasping. "What?"

"We found her body floating in the middle of the pod," Hailie explained in a rush, the words tumbling over each other. "We wouldn't even have seen her if she hadn't been wearing that wetsuit, you know the one-"

"The green one?" Matthias knew it well - he'd gotten it for her when they were dating.

"Yes… Matthias, I'm so sorry!" The girl was well and truly sobbing now. There was a crackle of static, then another voice came on the line.

"What do you want us to do, Matthias?" Sara asked. "We tried to clean her up as best we could, but-"

"Bring her home," he said, proud of how firm his voice sounded. "We need to say goodbye. I-" His voice broke. "I need to say goodbye."

"Of course," Sara said kindly. "And then?"

Matthias paused for a moment, considering. "Burial at sea," he said at last. "Put her back in the place she loved the best." The irony of it also being the place that had killed her was not lost on him.

"We'll be there soon, Matthias," Sara promised. "She's still coming home."

* * *

"So tell me again," Matthias said slowly. "Everything that happened."

They were sitting at the small table on Nineball Island. Hailie shifted uncomfortably, crossing her arms over her chest, but Matthias didn't see. His attention was fixed on the lapis lazuli pendant twined in his fingers.

"She took her shift early in the morning and I was on radio duty. I checked up on her when I was supposed to, then she called me a bit later to tell me she heard a strange noise. I didn't hear it and the radio went crazy and then all of a sudden they stopped. It was so… unnatural."

Matthias sat there for a moment, digesting what she'd said. Hailie fidgeted awkwardly - they'd been through the story several times already, and the information didn't seem to be making any more impact this time around than it had before.

Suddenly, Matthias raised his head, making eye contact with her for the first time since the accident. "She dropped her pendant?"

"Yes, Matthias," Hailie said patiently. "But she must have caught it again, because we-" She stopped and took a deep breath. "We found it, on her… on her body."

But Matthias shook his head impatiently. "The pendant," he muttered, glancing down at the lapis lazuli piece clutched in his hand. "It has to be that. Something… why else? There had to be something."

"No, there wasn't," Hailie said cautiously. "Matthias, it was an accident, that's all."

"Can't have been," he answered brusquely. "She's better than that, smarter than that. She would have been too careful for just an _accident._ There has to be something else, something different." He paused, thinking. "She mentioned something about a sound?" Hailie nodded slightly. Matthias leaned forward, both hands flat on the table. "Hailie. What _exactly_ did she say?"

"Just that she heard a strange noise. I couldn't pick it up on the radio, and I… didn't have time to ask her more," Hailie answered, a little nervous. "Is it important?"

"Could be, could be." Matthias got up, pacing around the small table. "I just don't know."

"It was probably just another whale call. Each whale sounds a little different," she told him. "Don't- Don't try to make this into something it wasn't, alright?" she said. "Accidents happen, to everyone, even the best of us. There was nothing anyone could do." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than the distraught man before her. "Matthias - Matthias, stop!"

He froze, and followed her gaze to his clenched fist. He opened his hand to find the pendant, and several small cuts - he'd clutched it so hard he'd broken his skin. It was deep enough to leave a scar, but he hadn't noticed the pain.

"Are you alright?" she asked, starting to get up, but he stopped her with a wave of his good hand.

"Fine," he said shortly. "I'm fine."

"Okay," she said, unsure. "As long as-"

"That's enough. Your jet-ski is waiting." Matthias turned abruptly and strode back to the cabin, leaving Hailie staring helplessly after him.

"Take care of yourself!" she called, but the only answer was the slam of a wooden door. Hailie sank back into her chair, rubbing her temples. "Please take care of yourself," she whispered. She glanced over to the dock where Oceania was playing in the sand, watched over by an impassive Jean Eric. "For everyone's sake."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello again! Hope you enjoyed this chapter- well, this isn't the type of chapter one enjoys- but anyway, storyline advancement, right? It's exciting to be progressing forward into the meat of this fic. Also, remember to please review for us! It really motivates us to write more! Thanks, Ward Orphan**


	5. Correspondence

October 30th, 2:45 a.m.

To: Konrad Lorenz

Subject: Abnormal Whale Behavior

Dr. Lorenz:

I am writing to inform you of a report of abnormal humpback whale behavior observed in the Pacific Ocean. It is my hope that an accomplished animal behaviorist such as yourself will have some answers pertaining to this event. A group of researchers was observing the migration habits of a humpback whale pod and its calves, when one diver reported hearing a strange noise. Following this noise, the whales began acting aggressively, aggressively enough to result in the death of the reporting diver. Any ideas you have as to the cause of this aggression would be very helpful to my investigation.

Matthias Louvier

* * *

November 29th, 5:14 p.m.

To: Matthias Louvier

Subject: Re: Abnormal Whale Behavior

Lieber Matthias,

This case is an interesting one, though perhaps not terribly unusual. I've often found animals to be startled into aggression by sudden, unexpected aural stimuli. I will admit, it does seem out of character for _Megaptera novaeangliae_ to become so unruly, particularly a pod with young calves. However, my studies have been with various birds, not marine life, so I suggest you consult someone whose credentials are more in keeping with the information you are seeking.

Do give my condolences to the family and friends of the diver in question. Such accidents are rare and terribly tragic.

Dr. Konrad Lorenz

Professor of Zoology and Animal Behavior

University of Vienna

* * *

November 30th, 7:24 a.m.

To: Jooke Robbins

Subject: Abnormal Whale Behavior

Dr. Robbins:

I am writing to request your aid in analyzing a report of abnormal humpback whale behavior. The report tells of a group of young scientists who were observing a pod when a strange noise was reported by the diver in the group. The diver then reported an increased aggression in the whales. This increased aggression resulted in thrashing behavior. I have previously contacted the animal behaviorist Dr. Konrad Lorenz, and he recommended I seek out someone with experience in whale behavior to continue my research.

Matthias Louvier

* * *

December 5th, 12:00 a.m.

To: Matthias Louvier

Subject: Re: Abnormal Whale Behavior

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your email! The Center for Coastal Studies is doing all they can to ensure that your concern is taken care of. If you're interested in learning more about the problem, we're always delighted to send one of our Wildlife Experts to your school or workplace to educate you more about the wonderful world of whales!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jooke Robbins, Ph.D

Ecology and Marine Biology

Center for Coastal Studies

Provincetown, Massachusetts

(508)-487-3623 x 116

* * *

December 5th, 12:43 a.m.

To: Tom Conlin

Subject: Abnormal Whale Behavior

Dr. Conlin:

I am writing to request your aid in discerning the cause of some observed abnormal whale behavior. While studying humpback whales, a diver noticed a strange sound coming from a pendant she wore, causing strange whale aggression. The diver's team reports seeing the whales thrashing about much more than usual. If you have any insight into this case, please let me know, as previous inquiries to other scientists have been as of yet unfruitful.

Matthias Louvier

* * *

February 24th, 6:14 p.m.

To: Matthias Louvier

Subject: Re: Abnormal Whale Behavior

Dear Mr. Louvier,

I've had over 23 years working with whales, and humpback whales in particular, and it seems to me that behavior like what you've described is highly unlikely. For one, humpback whales are rarely very aggressive at all, even when protecting young. And it sounds like you're suggesting that the aggression was caused by a sound coming from a pendant? For all that such a production of sound would be nearly impossible, it seems even more impossible to me that a pod of humpback whales would react to something like that, particularly aggressively. Never in my experience have I seen even a suggestion of such a thing.

No, Mr. Louvier, I think this was mere coincidence and nothing more. Stories like these happen only in legends, not in the real, practical world. If you can replicate the incident, I might be more inclined to believe in some connection between this pendant and whatever happened to your team. But for now, I suggest you keep a clear distinction between what is true and what is simply an overactive imagination.

Yours,

Tom Conlin

Adventure Aquatics

* * *

Matthias slammed his laptop shut, pounding his fist on the table in frustration. It'd been months, and this was only the last in a long chain of emails with various experts. And still, nothing. Not even a hint of an explanation.

He felt for Alana's pendant, hanging on its chain around his neck. He never took it off, not even for diving, even though Jean Eric had cautioned him, worried that whatever it was that had happened, could happen again. There were days Matthias almost wished it would. Then, at least, he'd have an answer.

"Daddy?"

Matthias blinked, shaking himself free of his anger, and looked across the table. Oceana, now just past her third birthday, stood watching him curiously. "You okay, Daddy?"

"I'm-" Matthias started, then stopped, hardly sure how to respond. Before he got the chance to think it through, however, Jean Eric was there, snatching up his granddaughter and carrying her away.

"Now, come on, Oceana," he said, bouncing the girl on his hip so she squealed in delight. "Daddy's very busy right now. We wouldn't want to get in his way." With one worried glance back at his son, Jean Eric carried Oceana away, to the other side of the island.

"I really don't mind," Matthias said, but he was so quiet and Jean Eric so far away that he didn't hear.

Oceana had left what she had been holding on the table next to him: her pendant.

Matthias sighed. He wasn't sure where the months had gone. The memory of… _that…_ was fresh enough in his mind that it could have been yesterday. But in reality, half a year had gone by, and his daughter was growing up. Growing up without him.

Shaking his head, Matthias opened his laptop again, pulling up his email and rereading the most recent one. _Stories like these happen only in legends…_ He gritted his teeth at the man's tone, but perhaps he had a point. Only in legends…

With new resolution, Matthias opened a new window, doing a quick internet search. Within minutes, he had sent off another email. A desperate one, perhaps, but Matthias was unable to give up the search for an answer.

* * *

March 1st, 3:17 p.m.

To: Alan Dundes

Subject: Whale Legends

Dr. Dundes:

A strange happening occurred a few months back in which a group of humpback whales responded very aggressively to a sound projected by a pendant. Scientifically, this phenomenon cannot be explained, and I have been assured that behavior of this kind is highly irregular, so I am left only with an explanation in folklore. If you can find any answers for me, it would be much appreciated. You are my last hope.

Matthias Louvier

* * *

April 27th, 4:23 p.m.

To: Matthias Louvier

Subject: Re: Whale Legends

Mr. Louvier,

In all of my time as a folklore professor, I must say I have never received a request like this one. Your email so intrigued me that I decided to do a little research on the topic. What I and my colleagues have found is very interesting: A legend speaks of a civilization called the Okeanides who could control sea dragons with music. The legend also speaks of a certain "dragon flute" that would make noise underwater, called the "Song of Dragons."

I doubt any of this is very useful, as it does not seem to be a very reliable legend, having only been told in one culture and filtering through many generations, but I could not resist to share my findings. The ability of folklore to explain away the unexplainable, while doubted by most, is remarkable, and you seem in a position to accept even the slightest explanation.

I have attached all the information I could find on the subject, on the off chance that it proves useful to you. Please feel free to peruse it at your leisure.

All the best,

Dr. Alan Dundes, Ph.d

Distinguished Professor of Folklore

University of California, Berkeley

Song_of_Dragons (74k)

Okeanide_Culture (85k)

Dragon_Flute (63k)

* * *

Matthias read the email feverishly, immediately opening the attached document and reading that too. The Song of Dragons… Here, at last, he was being taken seriously. Here was someone acknowledging that such a thing was possible. The more he read, the more he was certain that this had to be it.

In some, perhaps more reasonable corner of his mind, he acknowledged his certainty as simply wishful thinking and desperation, but he clung to it nonetheless.

He looked down and realized his hand was clenched around the pendant. Matthias released the lapis lazuli piece, then, as he stared at it, was struck by a sudden conviction. Snatching up the pendant Oceana had left, he strode into the cabin, grabbing up his old tools, and sat down on the bed, meticulously carving a message into the deep blue stone.

When at last he was finished, he blew off the shavings and walked outside, holding it up to the light. Smiling for the first time in months, Matthias read what he'd written:

 _The road to truth is the Song of Dragons._

* * *

 **A.N: Hello, dears! We're back, finally. Apologies for the wait. Life intervenes and our schedules only rarely line up. However, we have a new chapter for you, written in only a few hours, which is definitely a record. We planned it out on a napkin, as all genius is ;) I must admit, you're getting a new chapter today largely in response to the efforts of one Joseph M., who was kind enough to give us not one but three reviews. Joseph, whoever you are, we salute you. (And caution you not to put that much of your real name online. Tsk.)**

 **Anyway, we hope you enjoyed this chapter. The format was different from anything either of us has ever done, which is saying a good deal more for me than for my coauthor here, but it was rather a lot of fun. Hopefully it does what we intended it to do. And if not, do let us know, yes?**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	6. Welcome to Ciceros Strait

Many divers found diving at night to be more relaxing, but to Matthias, it had always been the challenge that appealed to him: once-familiar landscapes loomed out of nowhere, local fauna was utterly gone, replaced by other, stranger creatures. He never knew just what he was going to find, and that was why he loved it.

Of course, this danger only got worse - or, as he thought of it, better - when in a new location. Having his first dive in Ciceros Strait be at night was risky, to be sure, but he and Jean-Eric were confident in his skills. Besides, Matthias hated tourists.

"Heading for the south now," Matthias reported as he navigated through the rock formations. Several times he had to stop and turn around, having hit a dead end. But he thought he was getting the hang of it.

"Keep me informed." Jean-Eric's voice crackled over the radio. He'd elected to stay on the boat with his nautical charts, keeping an eye from above. They'd been reluctant to leave their boat unattended in unfamiliar territory, but as it was just the two of them - Oceana was staying with Hailie, who'd remained a faithful family friend - both had felt it best for Jean-Eric to stay behind.

Matthias continued his dive in a leisurely fashion, stopping to inspect rock formations and shipwrecks, identify fish species, and sometimes simply drifting and admiring the dark-shrouded beauty Greek oceans were so famous for. There were remarkably few fish out this night, and he was largely content to simply drift along. After all, there wasn't any hurry. The thing had been missing for centuries - a few more hours wouldn't make much difference.

He was searching for the famous Valka Castle. Officially, anyway. Jean-Eric had set him to the task, saying he needed something to distract himself. Of course, a discovery that big wouldn't do the business any harm, either. Matthias had agreed, if only because it had lined up beautifully with his own research, and the real reason he was here.

Anaximander. Greek philosopher, poet… and mapmaker. It was this last trade Matthias was interested in. Specifically, a legendary map of the circular Earth, designed by Anaximander and lost to history. The map rumored to be kept in Prince Valka's personal collection. It was this that had tempted Matthias here, far more than the castle itself. Whispers of legends, mad theories, that's all any of it was, but lately, that was more than enough for him.

The flute he'd found - or at least, the pieces of it - had been what had started it. The patterns carved into it had been so distinctive, so unusual, he'd taken them to expert after expert, looking for a match. After enduring countless lectures over defacing ancient artifacts, one had pointed out that the ridges and furrows closely matched the best idea of what Anaximander's map may have looked like.

He'd left there with every book he could buy or borrow about the map, and about Valka Castle. And if Jean-Eric had seen the name on his desk and decided to go looking, it was simply a happy coincidence.

Matthias was nearing the southernmost end of the strait. Following one edge of a group of formations led him to the east. Turning around a corner, the landscape changed. The rock towers were exchanged for an open expanse. A beautiful ship lay at the edge of a small drop off. And above the ship…

"Sharks," he whispered. Not one, not two, not even five. More sharks than he could easily count. Great whites, he was certain. Whipping about, teeth glinting, tails thrashing… it was beautiful. He understood why a group of sharks was called a shiver. "The first fish I properly get to see, and they're out to get me." He grinned. "Welcome to Ciceros Strait." They'd definitely noticed him, and a few on the edges were starting to wander in his direction.

"What was that?" Jean-Eric asked, concern evident even through the poor connection.

An eerie melody echoed through the water. "The song of dragons," Matthias breathed. _The Road to Truth is the Song of Dragons. The Cyclades suffer under the shroud of Poseidon's curse. As the waves crash and the battle cry rises, Valka Castle shall sink beneath the waters._ The poem that had led him here… it couldn't be a coincidence.

As if on cue, the sharks parted and a huge mass of muscle and teeth emerged from behind the ship. The newcomer seemed to be another great white, but Matthias could hardly reconcile its size. The beast was twice as big as the largest of the his comrades, and twice as angry.

"Matthias, what's going on?" his father demanded. He was very much regretting his decision to let his son dive alone.

"Sharks... a lot of them. And they're not happy."He shook his head, backpedaling. "I gotta get out of here." Matthias turned and swam as fast as he could, choosing the narrowest gaps. He turned right, then left. Through another shipwreck.

"Where are you? I'm bringing the boat."

Matthias laughed breathlessly. "Don't. This thing could tear it apart, and it just might. They'll lose interest soon enough."

"And if they don't?" Matthias said nothing. "Matthias, I'm coming. What's your location?"

"I... I don't know." Matthias looked around. He was in a depression of the seafloor. The ground was littered with broken down walls and columns, swallowed by the sea. Above the ruins, a North Atlantic right whale drifted with the current. Thresher sharks swam through the arches - a pleasant sight after the great whites. "They're gone, I think. Either that or they're way smarter than any sharks I've ever met."

"Thank goodness you're safe. Now tell me where you are."

"Ummm…" He glanced around, looking for the most defining feature. "Well, there seem to be a lot of ruins around. Big pillars. Any ideas?"

"You must be in the Triton Village area. I'll be there in a moment."

"Okay." Now that he had a minute to breathe, his thoughts kept returning to the eerie echo he'd heard only seconds before the massive shark had appeared. _The Song of Dragons. It had to be. And it certainly wasn't a coincidence._

* * *

 **A.N. Hello again! Sorry for the long wait, but Forever the Optimist and I were having some problems agreeing on what would come next. That's kind of a lame excuse, but it's all I've got. Anyway, hope you enjoyed Matthias' little adventure! He's getting farther on his road to truth.**

 **PS: Please leave a review if you like our story! Hearing from you motivates us to write more!**

 **Ward Orphan**


	7. The Breaking Point

Matthias glanced at his watch. It would take Jean-Eric at least ten minutes to reach him, although navigating the unfamiliar rock formations in the dark might slow him down. Plenty of time to explore.

Matthias swam forward, deeper into the ruins. To an observer, it would have looked like an idle dive, but Matthias was scanning every wall and pillar, looking for writings, castle finery, something in good condition. Anything that could lead him to Anaximander.

As he swam, a dark shape glided above him. Matthias glanced up and smiled to see a massive basking shark swimming lazily overhead. The second largest shark in the world, it was one of his dad's favorite creatures - Jean-Eric always did like the big ones. _Although,_ he reflected grimly, _that massive great white might have it beat._

He kicked a little harder, determined to put some distance between himself and the memory of the harrowing chase he had somehow just survived. He was here for a reason, he reminded himself. He needed to calm down. Keep moving. _Focus._

In the distance, Matthias could barely make out two tall pillars, connected by a stone slab. It was as good a goal as any. He swam over to investigate. As he rounded the first pillar, he startled a brown spiny fish that he recognized as a John Dory. Its body was long and its fins were droopy, with a face that only a mother could love.

Well, or a diver.

"Sorry, little buddy," he said with an affectionate grin.

"What was that, Matthias?" Jean-Eric's voice crackled over the radio.

"Uh… nothing, Dad. Just scared a fish." He could almost hear Jean-Eric shake his head.

"I'm almost there. Surface within the next five minutes so I can find you."

"Got it."

Matthias turned off his microphone, ensuring that he could still receive transmissions but no one would hear him, and reached out to stroke the John Dory's scales. It seemed to like that!

As it turned under his hand, he noticed the distinctive black marking on its side. He suddenly remembered hearing that the John Dory was sometimes called St. Peter's Fish. This is due to old legends stating that the black spots on its sides resemble the fingerprints of Saint Peter. Try as he might, Matthias couldn't remember where he had learned that.

 _Huh. Trivia_.

Matthias decided to move on.

He allowed himself to drift up, coming to rest on the large stone slab connecting the pillars. Surveying the ruined village, he shook his head.

 _There's nothing here._

Abandoning his perch with a sigh, Matthias began to swim up to the surface. As he turned back for one last look, a flash of red caught his eye. He hesitated, then shrugged.

 _I've got another minute at least._

Matthias turned back to see a long red fish with an angular head, a sea robin, swimming beneath the pillars. It swam across the ocean floor for a few moments, then began to swim upward, climbing the rim of an old well.

 _That's odd. Sea robins usually don't leave the floor._ With a frown, Matthias noted that this was the first sea robin he'd seen that night. Even with the ruins, this was a much more exposed space than that type of fish tended to prefer.

"So where do you live?" he murmured.

He watched for a moment, idly curious, as the sea robin paused briefly on the lip of the well, then disappeared inside. Matthias kicked lightly, propelling himself over the top of the well.

Squinting through the murky waters, Matthias held out his flashlight, sending a beam of light into the depths. He was surprised to find he could see the bottom - the well wasn't nearly as deep as he had expected.

"Not a bad place to live," he mused to the fish, letting himself sink down towards the well's mouth. "Hidden, safe, enclosed. No predators, which is good, 'cause you'd have nowhere to go…" His voice trailed off as the sea robin, having reached the bottom, suddenly veered to the left and disappeared from view.

Matthias blinked in surprise. "Or not." He leaned forward, angling himself to swim deeper and investigate, when static crackled in his ear.

"I'm above the ruins. Where are you?"

Scrambling to turn his microphone back on, Matthias answered, "On my way up. Be just a minute."

"Be careful. Watch the pressure."

Matthias took a last look at the mysterious well, then turned and swam for the surface. Clearly, something lurked beneath these ruins. Maybe it was a secret tunnel leading to a lost sunken castle. Maybe it was just a depression in the wall. But Matthias's diver's intuition told him that this was something more. Either way, he was determined to come back and find out what.

* * *

Matthias's head broke the surface of the water as he reached up for the ladder of the boat. Jean-Eric grabbed his hand and hauled him up into a sopping wet hug. He held him tightly for a moment, then pushed him back, holding him at arm's length.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded, shaking him a little. "You could have died!"

"Dad, I'm not sixteen anymore-"

" _Died,_ Matthias! Is that what you want?"

Matthias shoved his father's arms away. "Dad, I'm fine. Things like that happen, I made it through."

"This time, sure." Jean-Eric was pacing now. "And maybe the next time, too. But what about the next, and the next? You're wasting your time and putting your life in danger over myths and fairytales-"

"The Song of Dragons isn't a myth," Matthias insisted. "We've both heard it, and I _know_ Alana heard it too. I have to know what this is and why it killed her."

"This has to stop." Jean-Eric shook his head. "You're not getting answers, you're getting more dangerous. You're the only one Oceana has left. What am I going to say to her when you go the same way as Alana-"

He stopped abruptly and looked over at Matthias, who had gone very still. There was a long silence.

Finally, Jean-Eric sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Sit down," he said quietly, sinking onto one of the boat's low benches. Stonily, Matthias did the same.

"Matthias…" He shook his head. "I know Alana's death was hard for you. It was hard for all of us. But it was an accident. That's all. It happens to even the best." He paused for a moment. "Oceana needs her father back. And I need my son."

 _And I need answers._ Jean-Eric was looking to him for a response. He wouldn't get one.

Jean-Eric stood up. His eyes were disappointed, but his jaw was set, showing a steely resolve. "We're done here," he said, turning his back on his son and stepping to the wheel. "We leave tomorrow morning. Get some sleep while you can."

" _Dad!"_

"It is not up for debate!" Jean-Eric started the engines and began to cruise back to shore. "This is for your own good, Matthias." His voice softened. "Think about your family."

 _I am thinking about my family,_ he fumed, staring out at the dark ocean. _I've been thinking of nothing else._ He would have to do this alone, he realized, without help or opinions from anyone else. This had been his quest from the beginning, and if finding the answers he needed meant his father's anger, then so be it.

 _I'm going back,_ he decided. _There's something there, and I'm going to find it. Tonight._

"Do you understand me, Matthias?"

Matthias smiled humorlessly. "Perfectly."

* * *

 ** **A.N: Hello, all! Look at us, back after more than a year away. It just goes to show that we do indeed respond to reviews. Shout out to that one guy. You go, that one guy.****

 **We do now have the rest of the story at least planned out, so continue to bother us and we will legitimately get to it. Because next week is Thanksgiving, I'm hoping to get another chapter done while Ward Orphan and I are together. That's the goal, anyway. But obviously things are moving along, both in the plot and in the relationships. We may be having too much fun.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**

 **P.S: The included trivia is actually unlocked in the first game, not the one this story is based on, but we thought it was so funny that we had to include it.**

 **Huh. Trivia.**


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